الموضوع: Islam Unveiled
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قديم 01-03-2006
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تاريخ التّسجيل: May 2004
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Jewish Folklore

The II Targum of Esther, dating back to the second century AD, is consistently found to be the source of Surat al-Naml (The Ant) 27:17-44. First, we will look at the Qur'anic record:

And there were gathered together unto Solomon his armies of the jinn and humankind, and of the birds, and they were set in battle order; . . .
And he sought among the birds and said: How is it that I see not the hoopoe, or is he among the absent? I verily will punish him with hard punishment or I verily will slay him, or he verily shall bring me a plain excuse. But he was not long in coming, and he said: I have found out (a thing) that thou apprehendest not, and I come unto thee from Sheba with sure tidings. Lo! I found a woman ruling over them, and she hath been given (abundance) of all things, and hers is a mighty throne.
I found her and her people worshipping the sun instead of Allah; and Satan maketh their works fair-seeming unto them, and debarreth them from the way (of Truth), so that they go not aright . . .
(Solomon) said: We shall see whether thou speakest truth or whether thou art of the liars. Go with this my letter and throw it down unto them; then turn away and see what (answer) they return. (The Queen of Sheba) said (when she received the letter): O chieftains! Lo! There hath been thrown unto me a noble letter. . . .
They said: we are lord of might and lords of great prowess, but it is for thee to command; so consider what thou wilt command. She said: Lo! Kings, when they enter a township, ruin it a and make the honour of its people shame. Thus will they do. But lo! I am going to send a present unto them, and to see with what (answer) the messengers return. So when (the envoy) came unto Solomon, (the King) said: What! Would ye help me with wealth? But that which Allah hath given me is better than that which He hath given you. Nay it is ye (and not I) who exult in your . . . .
It was said unto her: Enter the hall. And when she saw it she deemed it a pool and bared her legs. (Solomon) said: Lo! It is a hall, made smooth, of glass.
She said: My Lord! Lo! I have wronged myself, and I surrender with Solomon unto Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.

From the II Targum of Esther, we read:

Solomon . . . gave orders . . . I will send King and armies against thee . . . (of) Genii beasts of the land the birds of the air. Just then the Red-cock (a bird), enjoying itself, could not be found; King Solomon said that they should seize it and bring it by force, and indeed he sought to kill it.
But just then the cock appeared in the presence of the King and said, "I had seen the whole (and) know the city and kingdom (of Sheba) which is not subject to thee, My Lord King. They are ruled by a fortified city in the Eastlands (Sheba) and around it are stones of gold and silver in the streets. By chance the Queen of Sheba was out in the morning worshipping the sea, the scribes prepared a letter; which was placed under the bird’s wing and away it flew and (it) reached the Fort of Sheba. Seeing the letter under its wing (Sheba) opened it and read it.
"King Solomon sends to you his Salaams. Now if it please thee to come and ask after my welfare, I will set thee high above all. But if it please thee not, I will send kings and armies against thee."
The Queen of Sheba heard it, she tore her garments, and sending for her Nobles asked their advice. They knew no Solomon, but advised her to send vessels by the sea, full of beautiful ornaments and gems . . . also to send a letter to him.
When at last she came, Solomon sent a messenger . . . to meet her. . . . Solomon, hearing she had come, arose and sat down in the palace of glass. When the Queen of Sheba saw it, she thought the glass floor was water, and so in crossing over lifted up her garments. When Solomon seeing the hair about her legs, (He) cried out to her. . .

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